Japan's Kuraray starts building new US PVOH plant on 11 April

SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Kuraray will begin construction of a new polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) plant in the US on 11 April, the Japanese specialty chemicals firm said late on Tuesday.

The plant to be built in La Porte, Texas, will have an annual production capacity of over 40,000 tonnes in the first phase of the project that should begin operations in early 2015, the company said in a statement.

Financial details of the project were not provided.

“Kuraray’s strategy for growth within the Houston area is due to developments in natural gas exploration technology, specifically shale gas and the excellence of area infrastructure and ideal workforce,” it added.

This new plant will add to Kuraray’s portfolio of manufacturing in the US, including ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) and co-block thermo-elastomers.